Proposed Bills Could Annex, Close Some Oklahoma Schools

To help schools meet their budgets in the midst of an education funding crisis, Thursday, the State Board of Education removed restrictions on nearly $30 million to allow schools to pay for urgent needs.

Meanwhile, lawmakers have been busy filing bills to find ways to save money on education – including annexing or even closing smaller school districts.

It’s not the first time those suggestions have been proposed, but with our budget crisis, this might be the year it gets passed - and that has some school districts concerned.

Ginny Playford is an eighth-grade teacher at Lone Star Schools and said when she found out about the recent bills she became concerned.

“We have a great school and I would not want to lose it," Playford said. "Why is it always education? It's not education that's been misappropriated."

Playford said she understands the budget crisis but wants the state to leave her school and her students alone.

“You can see the smaller class sizes, you get to know your students so much better," she said. “Our report card is a "B" which is higher than most of them in Sapulpa."

Two senate bills offer different ways to consolidate small school districts.

One, Senate Bill 1384 would target schools labeled "dependent," - meaning K through 8, like Lone Star. The consolidation would be voluntary the first year but mandated after that.

Read Senate Bill 1384

The other, Senate Bill 1382, proposes schools with fewer than 300 students combine with other schools or be annexed by a bigger district.

Read Senate Bill 1382

State Rep Jadine Nollan didn't author the bills but said, while the proposals are unpopular, some lawmakers say current funding hurts larger school districts that take the dependent students in ninth grade.

"They have to finish educating that student but they don't receive the money to do so. So that's where some of the issues have arised, and that's why it has continued to be a topic of conversation," Nollan said.

And while lawmakers try to decide how to fund schools, teachers like Playford are crossing their fingers, hoping their schools are safe.

She said, "Just the whole atmosphere; it's a culture, it's a tradition we've had. So I would hate to lose that."

One of the bills could be heard as early as next week.